Latch for refrigerator doors



April 21, 1925.

A. N. HORNUNG LATCH FOR REFRIGERATOR DOORS Filed Aug 27, 1924 \IVITNESS:5.4. R

7 INVENTOR UNITED. js'rA ANTON N. HOBNUNG, oF-Los ANeEtns camron'nm.

matron eon anrmenaaroa nouns.

Application nnaau uste'z, 1924. Serial No. 734,414.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON N. Hormone, a citizen of the llnited States,residing at Los Angeles, in thecounty of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Latch for Refrigerator Doors,of which the following is a specification.

lhis invention relates to a novel latch for doors of largerefrigerators. such as are in stalled in butcher shops, and throughwhich doors the attendant passes from time to time forthe purpose ofcarrying meat into and out from the refrigerating chamber.

Such doors are spring closed and it is desirable that they be keptclosed as constant- 1y as. possible with minimum interference with themovement of the attendant;automatic latches are provided to hold thespring closed doors shut.

It frequently occurs that the attendant must carry heavy loads, such forinstance as a-qnarter of beef, or other large bodies of meat such asveal, mutton or pork carcasses; and the opening and closing of suchspring closed and latched doors'is a serious inconvenience to thebutcher or other attendant. i

An object of this invention is to avoid such interference. and tofacilitate the opening of the closed door by a person carrying a heavyload out of the refrigerator.

Usually there are attendants outside therefrigerator who may open thedoor to allow a person laden with the whole or part carcass to pass in;but it is seldom that there is any attendant inside the refrigerator toserve the same purpose when the laden person wishes to go out; andconsequently the one who goes inside the refrigerator to select acarcass or a heavy portion of a carcass to bring the same out throughthe door, finds it very difiicult while he is carrying the load, to openthedoor by devices heretofore em:

ployed.

An object of this invention is to provide strong and substantial meansadapted to facilitate the opening of the door latch by the person on theinside while heavily loaded and while having his hands employed incarrying the load.

The invention broadly considered includes the combination with the doorand an automatic latch thereon. of a shaft journalled in the door andextending on both sides there-,

of, and bent at one end to form a handle on one side of the door, andbent at its other end for attachment to means operable by the foot of anattendant. Objects of the invention are cheapness, simplicity, ease ofapplication and convenience of operation.

The invention includes the novel part comprising a latch operating rockshaft having a terminal handle and two bell crank arms spaced apart toaccommodate the door closure between them and adapted respectively forattachment to connecting rods.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawing, the subjoined detail description and the appendedclaims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention.

Figure 1 is an inside fragmental diminutive View of a refrigerator doorwith its antomatic latch and means involving my invention for retractingsaid latch in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan section on line M, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlargedfragmental view of the assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 viewed frominside the refrigerator with parts in latching position.

escutcheon plates assembled together.

. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the lower outside escutcheon platemember with fragments of latch rod and spring.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the handle and rock shaft.

1 indicates the door closure of a refrigerator hinged at one edge byspring hinges 2 of any well known type, for automatic closing of theclosure, to the refrigerator door frame 3. Said door is provided with alatch hole 5 extending therethrough. Divided escutcheon plates 6, 7 ofgreater di. ameter than the latch hole are adapted to be mounted onopposite sides of the door and are so mounted by means of screws 8,

Each of saidesoutcheon plates is formed of two semi-circular members,each provided with a central notch 9 to form a bearing, in which isjournalled a rock shaft'lO provided at one end with a terminal handle11, and a bell crank 12, and at the other end with a bell crank 12'.Said bell cranks are spaced apart to accommodate the door closure 1between them.

The bell crank arm 12 is pivotally connected to a latch bar 13 thatslides through a stationary guide 14 that is fixed to and ex- Fig. 4 isa view of the outside half and are fixed to the door as will herein- 7after appear. a

The latch spring 17 acts between the latch bar guide 14 and the latchhead 18 to hold the head and its roller tip 19 yieldingly projected forengagement with the catch 16 upon closing of the door.

The handle 11 and the bell crank arms 12 and 12 are disposed in angularrelation to each other on one side of a vertical V through the axis ofthe shaft 10, and are so disposed that when the spring 13 has fully,

projected the latch to latching position shown in Fig. 1, with the latchroller. 19 ready to engage the catch 16, the handle 11 and inner bellcrank arm 12' will be elevated, and the outer bell crank arm 12 will bedepressed so that a downward movement of the handle 11 or of the innerbell crank arm'12 will cause the outer bell crank arm 12 to swing awayfrom the guide 15 to withdraw the latch from latchin position.

20 is the connecting rod or a treadle 21 pivoted to the door at 22 andto the connecting rod 20 at 23, so that the downward movement of thetreadle 21 will withdraw the latch in the same manner as by operation ofthe handle 11.

The escutcheon plates are each provided with interlocking offsets 24 andare secured in place by the screws 8 with their bearings 9 coaxial ofthe latch hole 15. The crank arms are thus held in true position foroperation.

The crank arm 12' is of such length as to allow it to be insertedthrough the latch hole 5. Preferably the hole 5 is of such diameter thatthe insertion can only be accomplished when the shaft is inserteobliquely.

The latch head 18 is socketed and threaded {)0 receive the threaded end25 of the latch ar 13. I

1 my hand at 22nd day of August, 1924.

The latch bar 13 is pivoted ,to the arm 12 by the pivot 26, and isinserted through the guide 14 and is screwed into the socket in the head18, which is inserted through the guide 15.

To install the device the bell crank arm 12' and rock shaft 10 will beinserted through the latch hole 5 and then the escutcheon plates will bebrought tog ther on e "the shaft and broughtinto centra positionrelative to the latch hole 5, and wlll then be secured to the door bythe screws 8.

The latch bar is inserted throu h the latch bar guide 14 and through thecoi s rin 13, and is screwed into the socketed heat? 18, which isadapted to slide through the guide 15.

I claim: I

1. The combination with a door and an automatic latch thereon, of ashaft journalled in the door and bent at one end to 'form a handle atone side of the door; and

means operable by the foot of an attendant and connected to rock theshaft to retract the automatic latch.

2. The combination with a door of latch guiding means fixed to the door;a rock shaft extending throu h and journalled to the door and providedat one end with a bell crank arm and at the other end with a bell crankarm and a handle, said bell crank arms and handle being so disposed onone side of a vertical drawn through the axis of the rock shaft thatdepression of the handle and one of the bell crank arms, will retractthe other bell crank arm toward such vertical.

3. The door latch rock shaft set forth provided with two bell crank armsdisposed in angular relation and spaced apart to accommodate a doorclosure between them, and a terminal handle.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set os Angeles, California, thisANTON N. HORNUNG. Witness:

JAMES R. Townsnnn.

